THE SPRINGSTEEN CONNECTION

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - released 8/25/75

The E Street Band

3rd from left - Max Weinberg - musical director of Late Night with Conan O'Brien

4th from left - Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons

5th from left - Bruce Springsteen

6th from left - "Little Steven" Van Zandt (Soprano fans now know him as Tony's consigliere, Silvio Dante)

So what's the connection to the Class of 1974?

Bruce Betler, Mike Blaine, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Roberson

Florida - circa 1976

Out of the blue on May 31, 2006, I get an email from Mike Blaine - who I haven't heard from since the late '70s. He nonchalantly includes the above photo to add to the site.

And I about fell over!!

I wrote back to Mike asking for the details - and here's the scoop!

"The exact year of the photo, I can not remember - 1975,1976?? Bruce (Betler), Bob and myself went to Florida for a post graduation PARTY week.

We decided to stay at the best hotel we could find for just two nights of the week. We stayed at a very nice place in Miami. Well, without us knowing, THE BOSS had the whole goddamn floor above us.

While at the pool (we were in a state of stupor, as you can imagine), I noticed this guy in the pool, reading the paper. I knew when this big black guy (Clarence Clemons) said something to him it had to be Springsteen.

I swam over and calmly said, "You're Bruce, aren't you?" He said, "Yea, lay low".

I said, "Can you come over and meet my buddies and take a picture?" He agreed. We drank a few beers, talked about the "Born to Run" album - he even mentioned, the song 'Thunder Road'.

We were actually too stupid to ask for tickets that day - he was doing a concert in the next couple days.

We only got the one picture So about 20 years later I made for a copy for Bob and Bruce (Betler). Bruce and I would meet for OSU Buckeye games - we would take a copy with us for luck.

That’s the story in a nutshell."

I thought this photo and it's story of a true American icon deserves it's own page here. Kinda like meeting the Beatles just as they exploded across the planet. Very cool - very groovy!

Oh yeah - click HERE for the "real" photo.

Peace, out.